Waterproof quadrilateral watchcase



Aug. 21, 1951 w, SCHMITZ WATERPROOF QUADRILATERAL WATCHCASE Filed Oct.27, 1945 'III v I I N .Il

,lid s Agg y,"3 fo 11- Patented Aug. 21, 1951 WATERPROOF QUADR-ILATERALwATcHcAsE i Werner Schmitz, Grenchen, (Switzerland t Appneanon october27, 1945, serial N6. 625,041 l I In Switzerland September 16, 1944V'Section 1,. Public Law 690, lAugust v8, 1946-V Patentexpires September16, 1964 Itis extremelyV diicult'as a ruleto make square or rectangularwatches, i. e. quadrilateral watches in general, dustproof, specially inthe case of the glass being inlet. On leaving the factory such Watchesare comparatively speaking highly dustproof. But after having beenthrough the hands of a repairer this is no longer the case. The latteris insuiiiciently equipped to touch up a glass, the dimensions of whichare not quite exact. It is moreover ridiculous to pretend to know towhat degree a watch is dustproof after its having the glass replaced.

The present invention relates to a method of overcoming this diiilculty.Its object is a watch casein which a special glass can be mounted in acorresponding sized movement. The case may have diverse shapes but mustalways have the same sized rim-aperture. Any small tolerance will neverhave the same effects as in the case of inlet glasses. Repairers maythus keep standard sized Watch glasses in stock and consequentlyreplacement will be an easy matter incurring no special touching up.

The attached drawing represents, by way of example, several embodimentsof watch cases according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing, partly in section, of an embodiment ofthe Watch case.

Fig. 2 is a view in section, in the perpendicular plane to one side, ona larger scale, oi Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of a second embodiment.

Each of Figs. 4, and 6 relates to a special embodiment, representedpartly in like section as in the preceding figures.

With respect to Figs. l and 2, I denotes the bottom of the Watch-casewith a collar 2 soldered to it which forms with the supporting collarfor the movement, the middle part of the watch.

Into the rim 4 is fitted grease friction tight the collar 2, the upperpart of which bears against the shoulder 5 of the ledge 6 of the glass1, the latter being shaped in this way on making, i. e. in the shape ofa ange which can be worked upon.

In the present case the glass is in the shape of a spherical cap and ismoulded hot.

The outside face of the glass ledge E is machined exactly according todimensions. The circumference of the glass is thus cut according togiven dimensions and the glasses are therefore interchangeable. Anywatch glass prepared in this manner can be introduced grease frictiontight into the shoulder, limited on the one hand by the upper lateralface of the collar 2 and on the other hand by theupper face ofthesupporting collarof the movement, The rim, which can be kept. in itsproper place by known means, bears on the ledge of' the glass.

One of the sides of a ring 9 of angle profile bears on the dial III,whereas the other is held by a Y shoulder provided on the inside of theglass. The pressure of the glass on to the slightly springy and thinring 9 keeps the movement in place on a ledge of the supporting collar.Moreover the said ring hides the joint between the glass and the dial.In the embodiment according to Fig. 3, the same parts are used asdenoted in Figs. 1 and 2 and have the same reference numbers. However,the ledge I2 of the glass is wider and reaches over the edge of themovement.

This construction can be used for certain watches in which the movementand the dial have special dimensions.

In the embodiment represented in Fig. 4, the parts are the same as inthe watch case already described. The ring I3 however has a differentprole. It is also an angle piece, but having one of its sides longerthan the other and which slips in between the supporting-collar of themovement and the movement itself. Moreover this ring fits tightly on tothe movement so that on taking out the movement, the ring comes with it.

The embodiment represented in Fig. 5 does not comprise a supportingcollar for the movement. The ring 2 which is soldered, in the presentcase, to the bottom has a shoulder on the outside Ill and on the insideI5. The movement II rests on the latter. The machined inside face of theledge of the glass I6 lies on the outside machined face oi the saidshoulder I4. The same arrangement is made in the case of Fig. 6 in whichthe movement I I bears on the top face oi the collar 2 having itsoutside surface Z6 machined and adapted to take the glass fitting overit at the inside face 2l of the ledge I'l. The latter is comparativelylong and lies on a part of the case-bottom I8.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. 5 and 6 the movement is also keptin place by means of a ring bearing down on the dial under the pressureof the rim and the glass.

In the above descriptions reference to square or quadrilateral Watchcases is intended to mean any case having four plane or curved sides.

The phrase plane of the movement means any plane parallel to the flange22 of the movement II in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6 or parallel to the edge 23of the movement II in Fig. 3.

What I claim is:

1. In a Watch, a movement, a dial placed on said fitting surfaceperpendicular to the plane of said 5 movement and forming a shouldertogether with said supporting member, a holding frame supported on saiddial, an unbreakable crystal pressing said holding frame upon said dialto hold said movement in place, said crystal comprising a radiallyextending outer ange resting in said shoulder and including an upperface and an outer peripheral finished surface, the internaldimensions ofthe wall member and the external dimensions of the crystal at thefinished surfaces thereof accurately corresponding so that theperipheral iinished surface of the crystal will snugly fit within theiinished surface of the wall member and a bezel in cooperation with saidupper face for holding said crystal in place,

2. In a Watch according to claim 1, said holding frame having anangle-shaped cross section.

" WERNER SCHMITZ.

15 Number" "1'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number l i 2,060,118

fName Date Putnam Nov. 10, 1936 Morf Nov. 26, 1940 A Morf Nov. 17, 1942Marti Jan. 12, 1943 Schmitz May '7, 1946 Morf Aug. 10, 1948 l FOREIGNPATENTS "1' Country Date Switzerland July 15, 1939 Switzerland June 1,1942 Switzerland Apr. 30, 1943 Switzerland Oct. 31, 1945 SwitzerlandNov. 30, 1945 Great Britain June 2, 1932

